Apparatus for packing



Jan. 7, 1936. F. G; FOSS 2,026,523

APPARATUS FOR PCKING 4Filed oct. 25, 1930 Patented Jan. 7, 1936 'l f Y 2,026,523:

PATENT GFFICE APPARATUS FOR PACKING Fred G. Foss, Hillside, N. J., assigner to American Can Company, NewYork, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey AApplication October 23, 1930, Serial No. 490,681

2 Claims.

This invention relates in general. to the art of packing paints, stains, and similar products and more particularly to a novel and improved method of packing paints under vacuum in containers of the friction top variety and to apparatus for carrying out the method.

A large percentage of the variouskinds of paints are packed with oil and thinnersl in friction top containers, which are readily closed by means of simple pressure closing mechanism and are easily opened and reclosed.

Containers of this type cannot, however, be filled to capacity with paint, oil and thinners because of a certain amount of head space which must be left at the top. This head space is requiredv because, under the ordinary methods of iilling frictionV top paint containers, air entrapped between the topv level of the paint' andk the friction closure or plug will cause an internal pressure, especially under temperature changes, greater than the outside atmospheric pressure,

and this internal pressure isv suiiicient tov force out some of the compressed air between` the friction walls of the friction ring and friction plug, carrying with it oil and thinners. Once this iiowv of oil and thinners is started, it will continue by capillary action,v and considerable oil and thinners are sometimes lost between theY time the containers are filled and thev time4 they reachy the ultimate consumer.

In some cases, it also happens that the friction closure. is entirely blown on?y and some or all of the contents are lost in shipment and other adjacent articles of shipment are damaged.

When a substantial head space of air remains in the lled paint container, as is necessary under present, methods of packing, there is also achemical reaction taking place between. the oxygen of the entrappedl air'and the paint which results in the paint acquiring a layer of skin which is a total loss because not usable, besides interfering with smooth painting.

The principal object of my invention is the provision of a simple, inexpensive method and apparatus for vacuumizing lled paint containers to reduce internal pressure to a minimum under the most trying shipping, storing and temperature conditions and to substantially prevent the escape of the contents through the container closure; to substantially prevent oxidation; and to materially decrease the amount of head space, enabling the paint packer to utilize substantially the full capacity of the container.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better under- (Cl. 226-82) ,Y stood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing,

discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawing:

' Figure 1 is an elevational view showing a friction top container of the well known double tight The friction top container comprises a cylindrical body II, having a bottom end I2 double seamed or otherwise permanently securedV thereto. A friction ring or annulus I3 is secured to the body II by means of a double seamv I 4. The ring I3 has a horizontal annular panel I5, a substantially U-shaped channel I6, providing annular friction walls I1 and I8', the latter terminating into an annular hollow head or curl I9, defining a, filling opening 20.

A friction closure or plug 2I is adapted to frictionally engage the friction ring I3 and close the filling opening 20. The plug 2| comprises a raised central panel 22, an inner annular groove 23l and a U-shaped annular channel 24, providing friction walls 25 and 26 corresponding with the friction walls I8 and I1 respectively and adapted to make friction tight engagement with them. The outer friction wall 26 terminates into an outwardly curled hollow bead 21. The groove 23 is preferably provided with a gasket or liningV compound.

The vacuumizingy and closing mechanism or apparatus comprises generally a hollow annular head 28, a vacuum pipe 29 and a pressure closing chuck 3|.

The head 28 is preferably cast and machined of one piece and consists of a perforated neck 32, having an annular top flange 33, a tapered annular shoulder 34, and a depending vertical wall or skirt 35, having an internal annular recess 36, rectangular in cross section, and adapted to receive a rubber ring or pad 31, also rectangular in cross section and adapted to engage the double seam I4. The vertical wall 35 is cut away internally adjacent its lower edge to provide an outwardly flaring wall 38 to facilitate centering of the container top. i

The vacuum pipe 29, of which only an end is shown, has a reduced end 39 which is threadedly connected through an opening 4| in the shoulder 34 of the hollow head 28. The other end of the pipe 29 (not shown) is connected with a suitable vacuum pump (not shown).

The pressure closing chuck 3| consists of a frusto-conical pressure plate 42, having a flat bottom surface of a diameter greater than the diameter of the friction plug 2|, and adapted to engage the top surface of the plug 2|, when the latter is to be pressed into the friction ring |3. Secured to the plate 42 or preferably integral therewith is a shaft or stem 43, circular in cross section and of a diameter accurately equal to the diameter of the central perforation of the neck 32, vertically movable therein, and making air tight contact therewith. The shaft 43 together with the pressure plate 42 are reciprocated vertically by any suitable and preferred mechanism not shown.

An annular sliding collar 44, having a recess 45, surrounds the circular neck 32 and is slidably movable thereon. A compression spring 46 also encircles the neck 32 and has its upper end seated in the recess 45 and its lower end supported by the shoulder 34. A bifurcated lever 41 has its prongs 48 connected with the sliding collar 44 at opposite points of the collar by means of short pins 49 taking transversely through the prongs and collar. A suitable lowering and lifting mechanism (not shown) connected with the other end of the lever 41 is adapted to lower and lift the lever 41, together with the head 28 when required.

When the container I I has been filled with paint to the desired height, the friction plug 2| is loosely positioned over the friction ring I3 so that the U-shaped channel 24 of the plug rests lightly in the U-shaped channel I5 of the friction ring I3.

'I'he hollow head 28 is then lowered over the container and plug by means of the lever 41, against pressure of the spring 46, so that the rubber ring 31 comes to lie over and engages the double seam I4 of the container. The pressure exerted by the lever 41 upon the collar 44, spring 46 and head 28 is suiiicient to seat the rubber ring 31 tightly against the top of the container body to make an air tight connection therewith.

The vacuum pump is then set in motion and .the air within the head is exhausted through the pipe 29. The suction created in the hollow head 28 is sufficient to raise or temporarily suspend the plug 2| over the container, as shown in Fig. 1 to permit exhaustion of the air in the head space in the container. Pressure is then applied to the shaft 43 by suitable pressure mechanism (not shown) and the plug 2| is pressed home into the friction ring I3, by pressure plate 42.

Owing to the tight frictional engagement between the walls 2B and 25 of the plug 2| and the walls I1 and I8 of the friction ring I3 and also owing to the compound lined groove 23 tightly engaging the bead I9 of the friction plug I3, a. substantially hermetic seal is effected which will preserve the vacuum created in the container.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction, proportion and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope` of theinvention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. In a vacuumizing and closing machine for filled friction top containers, the combination of concentric heads or chucks, the outer head being hollow and annular and having means for engaging the top edge of the container body and forming a vacuum chamber in conjunction therewith, said outer head having a perforated neck and shaft bearing, a sliding collar engaging said neck, a compression spring encircling said neck and interposed between said collar and the top of the outer head, means for reciprocating said collar to lift the head or to apply the same to the container edge with a yielding sealing pressure, a pressure shaft slidably mounted in said bearing and tightly fitting within said neck and fixed to the inner head, and an exhaust pipe for withdrawing air from within the outer head, said shaft being movable to actuate the inner head to apply a sealing friction cover to the exhausted container body.

2. In a vacuumizing and closing machine for filled friction top containers, the combination of concentric heads or chucks, the outer head being hollow and annular and having means for engaging the top edge of the container body and 45 forming a vacuum chamber in conjunction therewith, said outer head having a perforated neck and shaft bearing, means for engaging said neck, means for reciprocating said engaging means to lift the head or to apply the same to the container edge with a sealing pressure, a pressure shaft slidably mounted in said bearing and tightly fitting within said neck and fixed to the inner head, and an exhaust pipe for withdrawing air from within the outer head, said shaft being movable to actuate the inner head to apply a sealing friction cover to the exhausted container body.

FRED G. FOSS. 

